Valve mechanism for explosive-engines.



L. A. MERK..

VALVE MEGEANISM EOE EXPLosIVE ENGINES.

Y APPLICATION FILED MAY 31, 1907.

' 903,748. Patented Nov. 1o, 1908.

FIG. 1

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@MA 2M ,UiviTED STATES rafraivrorriea LAWRENCE A. MERK, OF WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0 EDWIN RUUD, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

VALVE BEECHANSM FOR EXPLOSIVE-ENGINES.

No. 903,7 es:

i Spe'ccation of Letters Patent.

rai-.eaten nov. 1o, isos.

Application filed May 31, 1907. Serial No. 376,474.

To all 'whom it 'may concern:

' Be it lrnown that I, LAWRENCE A. MERK, a resident of VVilkinsburg, in the cor-.nt of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, ia've invented certain new and useful Improve ments in Valve Mechanism for Explosive- Engines, of which the Jfollowing is a specilication.

One object of this invention is to arrange the valve actuating mechanism of an explosive` engine within lthe crank chamber where hy it is kept clean and constantly lubricated. Also with the mechanism inclosed its operation is noiseless and it is protected from injury and derangementto which it is liable when exposed.

A further purpose is to provide valve actuating mechanism of improved construction.

This invention is here shown applied to a i vertical' explosive engine, Figure 1 or the accompanying drawings being a vertical sectional view of such an engine equipped'with the improvement. Fig. 2 is a detail view, illustrating the movement of the valve operating levers.

Referring to the drawings, 2 designates the crank chamber, 3 the cylinder, and il the laterally extending valve chamber of a vertical explosive engine of-usnal construction. 5 is the piston, 6 the crank shaft, and 7 the pitman. As mechanism of the same form and arrangement operates both the inlet and exhaust valves, the inwardly and upwardly opening valve 8 may control either the inlet or the-exhaust of the cylinder. Stem 9, depending from theyalve throughA` the lower portion 4 of valve chamber 4, carries spring 10 which holds the valve normally seated and closed. Extension 9 of the stem is en gagedby the lower extremity of the latterand projects through sleeve or guide 11 into the upper part of crank chamber 2. While stem 9 and extension 9 might be one continuous or unbroken stem, when in two parts the mechanism may expand and contract 'without disturbing the valve, the latter always moving positively to its seat when 'l closing.

y The lower extremity of valve extension 9 bears downwardly on the vertically swinging lever 12, ulc'r'umed at one end of the wall of chamber 2, as indicated at 12. Beneath the lever and-fulcrumed at le to the opposite wall of the chamber is lever 13, having the rounded or rocker-like upper face 14 engaging lever 12. Also within chamber 2 is cani shaft 15,' carrying cam 16 which cscillates .lever 13, the latter being preferably provided with roller 17 which rides on the cam. Gearing 18 may connect shar'ts 6 and 15 in the usual mannen l lVith the valve closed, as in Fig. 1, lever 12 engages the curved upper' edge of Vlever 13 approximately in line vertically with fulcrum 18. l' As lever 13 is raised by the cam, edge 14 has a rolling contact with lever 12, the point of contact shifting from fulcruxn 13 and toward ulcrum 12', with the result that at rst, when the-greatest pressure is -being overcome-that encountered when moving the valve from its seat-the movement isslow, but* as lever 13 rises the move- -nient is of increasing rapidity until .the

valve is `Eully'open. And when closing, the valve recedes toward ,its seat, rapidly at rst, but at; a diminishing speed which causes it. to seat noiselessly and without an appreciable jar.v Much wear and breakage of the valve and its actuating mechanism is thus prevented. .W'ith the valve actuating mechanism within the crank chamber a ,direct andpositive action is had, and the parts are preserved from vinjury and dirt and are maintained constantly lubricated by the splashing of the oil Within the chamber.

While the invention is here 'shown applied to a ,vertical engine, it may be differently embodied without departing :from the spirit and' scope of the appended claim. Also, the invention is not restricted to the form and arrangement of valve actuating levers here shown.

I claim In an explosive engine, the combination of a crank case, a cylinder, a spring-closed valve for the cylinder having a stem pro,- jecting into the crank case, a leverulcrumed i its free end, lever actuating means, and a.

at one side of the crank case and swinging tioned lever and in engagement with the toward and from, the Valve stem, the face of Valve stem.

the lever adjacent the Valve sem curved in In testimony whereof I ax my signature rocker form from its fulerumed end toward in presence of two Witnesses.

` LlLWRENCE A. MERK.

second lever fulcrumed at the opposite side Witnesses: of the crank Case and extending toward and J. M. NESBIT,

overlapping the rocker-face of the first men- D. E. MITCHELL. 

